Improvement in strainers



'NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL MALES, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAINERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,488, dated November 3, 1874; application led April 6, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL MALEs, of Cin cinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Strainers for Cider-Mills, Ste., of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of a conical spring, covered With netting or other percolating fabric,through which liquids may be strained, this combination of straining fabric and supporting exible frame composing a straining device which is adapted to cover the discharging-aperture of a press, and operate so that, When extended, it shall afford a large straining area for the free flow of juices from the center of the press When the press is in the first stages of pressing action, and shall gradually allow the compressing-head ofthe press to contract ituntil it is forced down into a flattened cover over the discharging-aperture, permitting the compressing-head to approach very closely to the bottom of the press.

This straineris adapted `to be used in conf nection with a customary slatted press, in

which, heretofore, there has been no free escape from the center, and in which, heretofore, While the pomace hasbeen pressed into a hard cake at the outsides, the center remained soft and juicy.

Figure l is a perspective view of a strainer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. v

The strainer is of conical shape, as shown, so that the coils of the spring when, the strainer is'compressed, shall be Within each other, and occupy but little more space than about the thickness of the Wire of which the spring is composed. lA is the spring, over which a straining fabric, B, is secured, through which the fluid is to percolate.v The base of the cone rests upon the bottom of the press round the edge of a discharging-aperture, and as the compressing-head of the press descends, the juice of the apples or grapes which surround the strainer percolates through the fabric, and is discharged in the interior of the strainer, the pomace being prevented from escape.

In order to permit the compressing-head to descend into a position in close proximity to the bottom of the press, the conical spring yields when the compressing-head strikes the apex of it, and contracts so in vertical height as this head descends as to occupy but very little space when the head reaches its lowest point of action.

I claim- A straining or percolating device for a cider or other fruit press, composed of conical ilexible Wire A and percolating fabric B, operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of Which invention I hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL MALES.

Witnesses F. MILLWARD, R. M. HUNTER. 

